Re: Freedom of Information Request – 20 February 2026 (Burial Procedures and Records – 1 October 2021)
Dear Sir or Madam,
Re: Freedom of Information Request – 20 February 2026 (Burial Procedures and Records – 1 October 2021)
I write further to my Freedom of Information request submitted on 20 February 2026.
Under Section 10 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Belfast City Council was required to provide a response within 20 working days. That statutory timeframe has now passed without any response, acknowledgement, or request for clarification.
This constitutes a failure to comply with your obligations under the Act.
For clarity, my original request sought full disclosure of records relating to burial procedures, operational conduct, communications, and any incident or governance documentation connected to cemetery operations on 1 October 2021.
At this stage, I require the following:
Immediate confirmation that my request is being processed
A full response to the request without further delay
An explanation for the failure to comply with the statutory timeframe
If I do not receive a substantive response within 5 working days of this email, I will proceed to:
Request an Internal Review
Escalate the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office for regulatory intervention
Please note that continued failure to respond will be formally documented as non-compliance with statutory obligations.
I expect this matter to be treated with urgency.
Yours faithfully,
Michael P. Lennon Jr
Michael P Lennon KB Master OCS307856F.zip
From: Michael P Lennon <stmichaelhm84@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Feb 20, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Subject: Freedom of Information Request – Burial Procedures, Operational Records, and Incident Documentation – 1 October 2021
To: <foi@belfastcity.gov.uk>
To: foi@belfastcity.gov.uk
Date: 20 February 2026
Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Formal Request
Applicant:
Michael P. Lennon Jr
POST Hard Copy to.
72 Mullaghboy Road
Bellaghy
Magherafelt
County Londonderry
BT45 8JH
Date of Birth: 27 June 1984
Email: stmichaelhm84@gmail.com
Telephone: 07760 354794
Dear Sir or Madam,
This is a formal request for information made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
This request relates to all burial procedures, operational actions, staff conduct, and administrative decisions undertaken by Belfast City Council on 1 October 2021, specifically in connection with the burial of -Mr McN------------, and the operational management of cemetery services on that date.
I require full disclosure of the following information, without omission:
1. Policies and Procedures
All burial policies, operational procedures, protocols, and guidance documents in force on 1 October 2021, including but not limited to:
- Burial operational manuals
- Cemetery management procedures
- Duty-of-care protocols
- Incident management procedures
- Escalation procedures
- Staff operational guidance
2. Operational Records
All records created on, before, or after 1 October 2021 relating to the burial, including:
- Burial registers
- Cemetery logs
- Staff duty rosters
- Site supervisor records
- Contractor records
- Grave preparation records
- Work allocation records
3. Internal Communications
All internal and external communications relating to the burial, including:
- Emails
- Internal correspondence
- Memoranda
- Incident notifications
- Management communications
- Communications with contractors
- Communications with external parties
This includes communications before, during, and after 1 October 2021.
4. Incident, Complaint, or Investigation Records
Full disclosure of:
- Incident reports
- Complaint records
- Internal investigations
- Risk assessments
- Compliance reviews
- Serious incident escalation reports
- Governance or oversight reviews
5. Staff and Responsibility Records
The official roles, job titles, and operational responsibilities of all Belfast City Council personnel involved in cemetery operations on 1 October 2021, including:
- Supervisors
- Managers
- Cemetery officers
- Operational staff
(Names may be redacted where legally required, but roles and responsibility structures must be disclosed.)
6. Governance, Oversight, and Compliance
All documents relating to:
- Legal compliance with burial regulations
- Internal governance reviews
- Duty of care compliance
- Procedural compliance monitoring
7. Records Retention and Destruction
If any requested records no longer exist, please provide:
- The record retention policy applicable
- The date of destruction
- The legal basis for destruction
Statutory Obligations
This request includes all recorded information held in any form, including:
- Electronic records
- Emails
- Paper records
- Archived records
- Backup records
Under Section 1 and Section 10 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, you are required to respond within 20 working days.
If any information is withheld, you are required to provide:
- The specific legal exemption relied upon
- The justification for that exemption
- Confirmation whether information exists but is being withheld
If necessary, this request will be referred to the Information Commissioner’s Office for regulatory review.
Please provide all information electronically to:
Yours faithfully,
Michael P. Lennon Jr
This law, which came into force on 1 January 2005, means that anyone, anywhere can ask for any information you hold.
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 grants anyone the right to request recorded information from Northern Ireland public authorities—including government departments, councils, and health trusts—to promote transparency. Requests must be in writing (email or letter), and authorities generally have 20 working days to respond.
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